Ireland’s Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has set ambitious goals to meet 2030 climate targets, including a target to develop at least 3.5 GW of offshore wind energy. To meet these goals, Ireland is reviewing and revising its policies and framework as set out in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) in June 2019 by engaging outside consultation. 

Commissioned by EirGrid, Guidehouse delivered a 121 page final report, Offshore Grid Delivery Models for Ireland, which offers supporting evidence and is intended to help inform on the best decision for a grid delivery model suitable for offshore wind development in Ireland. In the report Guidehouse outlines four potential models for consideration:

• Option 1 - Developer-led model: Fully developer-led grid delivery model
• Option 2 - Plan-defined, developer consents and builds: State defines minimum distance from shore for wind farms, as well as onshore grid connection points and available onshore grid capacity for RESS auctions; EirGrid pro-actively plans and coordinates onshore grid reinforcements
• Option 3 - Plan-led, developer builds: Developers responsible for offshore wind farm transmission asset construction, ownership, operation and maintenance in plan-led model
• Option 4 - Plan-led model: Fully plan-led grid delivery mode

A summary of the engagement is outlined in an offshoweWIND.biz article.